150, 180 or 220 g/m² — which t-shirt weight to choose

Weight is one of the few numbers that you will find on every t-shirt. This is also why it has become a substitute measure of quality: the higher the number, the better the piece.

But the weight says only one thing — how much does a square meter of fabric weigh? Nothing about how the fabric feels to the touch, how it holds its shape, whether it shrinks or how the print looks on it.

What you get for each number

Values vary among manufacturers, so take this as a guide, not a norm.

Around 150 g/m² — light

Summer T-shirt. Light, airy, fits well over the body. It dries quickly and you will appreciate it in the heat.

What you pay for: is more translucent, mainly in white and light colors. It's less forgiving — it copies what's underneath. And when worn, it rather wears to a "soft" state, which some people like and some don't.

Around 180 g/m² — medium

A classic and the most common choice. Thick enough not to show through, light enough to walk in even in the summer.

If you have no reason to go elsewhere, this is a reasonable starting point. Not because it's a compromise, but because it really fits most uses.

Around 220 g/m² and above — heavy

A shirt you can feel. Holds its shape, stands on the shoulders, not see-through. It is suitable for colder weather and for looser cuts, where the fabric should "fit" and not copy the body.

What you pay for: it is warm in the summer, dries longer and costs more. And if you expect softness, a heavy T-shirt may surprise you — it tends to be stiffer, at least at first.

What the weight does not say

Here is the crux of the matter. Two t-shirts with the same weight can be completely different products, because the feeling and appearance is what decides yarn and fabric treatment, not weight.

The softness of the yarn. This is the information that tells you more about the T-shirt than the weight — and you rarely find it in the description.

It is denoted by an English number and is written as a number with "s": 20s, 30s, 40s. It is the number of skeins of 840 yards that weigh one pound. The numbering is reversed to the thickness — the higher the number, the thinner the yarn. Therefore, 40s is approximately twice as fine as 20s.

What follows practically from this:

T-shirt single jersey is mostly in the range of 20s to 40s. The difference to the touch between the edges of this band tends to be more pronounced than the difference between 150 and 180 g/m².

Knitting density. You can achieve the same weight by knitting thickly from thin yarn and thinly from thick yarn. The first is more pleasant and tolerates printing better, the second is usually cheaper.

Editing. Pre-precipitation, mercerization, softening — all change the result and are rarely mentioned in the description.

That's why the statement "220 g/m², i.e. high-quality" makes no sense. A heavy chunky yarn t-shirt is still a heavy chunky yarn t-shirt.

Weight and print

This is the essential part for us and is the least talked about.

It's the surface that counts, not the weight. A smooth, finely spun fabric holds the drawing better than a coarse and shaggy one. On a thicker surface, fine detail is softer and text in small sizes can "fit" into the structure.

A heavier fabric can better support a large area of paint. And it's not just the impression of stiffness — transfer manufacturers describe three specific phenomena that will show up sooner on light fabric:

• shine through — with light, thin fabric, the motif can be seen through it even from the reverse side,
• heat deformation — a thin knit is less resistant to pressing,
• more fabric movement under a large area — the continuous layer of the print is stiffer than the knit fabric, so a large motif "pulls" more on a thin T-shirt.

A measured comparison that would say how much worse does not exist here either. But the mechanisms are described and make sense.

The translucency also solves the print. If you're afraid that a white light t-shirt will shine through, the dark motif on the chest won't save it — the rest will shine through.

How to choose without speculating

Instead of looking for the "best" number, answer three questions:

When will you wear it? Summer and heat → easier. Transitional weather and layering → medium to harder.

What cut do you want? Tight and flowy → easier. Loose, which should hold its shape → harder.

How often will it go in the washing machine? A work shirt that you wash every day can handle a thicker fabric. A T-shirt worn a few times per season will not take advantage of this benefit.

When is a higher grammage not worth it?

To be fair, here's a list of situations where paying extra for a heavier shirt is pointless:

• Summer events, festivals, sports events. People are supposed to spend a day in the sun in it. A heavy T-shirt is a minus, not a plus.
• T-shirt under something. If it goes under a shirt or sweatshirt, the heavy fabric will add volume where you don't want it.
• Advertising pieces in high numbers. The difference in price is multiplied by the number of pieces and the recipient usually does not appreciate it.
• When the only argument is "to make it look more valuable". If the t-shirt is to have a quality effect, finer yarn and a good cut will do more than weight.

On the contrary, it is worth paying extra here:

• You wear it often and want it to look like new for a long time.
• You want a loose cut that doesn't hang like a rag.
• It is a gift where even the first impression in the hand has its weight.
• A white or very light t-shirt that prevents you from seeing through.

What to ask instead of weight

If you want to know more, ask about what is not in the description:

Is it combed or ring spun cotton?

Is the substance pre-precipitated?

What is the recommended washing program?

The answers to these three questions will tell you more about the T-shirt than the weight. And the seller who knows them is usually the one you can buy from next time.

So what

• The weight is weight data, not about quality.
• Around 180 g/m² is a reasonable starting point for most uses.
• Easier for summer and flowing cuts, harder for the cold and loose cuts that are meant to hold their shape.
• It decides the feeling of the fabric yarn and finishing, not the number in the description.
• It is more important for printing smooth surface than weight.
• Higher weight is not automatically a better choice — and it tends to be worse in the summer.

Don't buy the number. Buy a T-shirt for what you really need it for.